'Godse' no longer an unparliamentary word: Speaker

Published: Saturday, April 18, 2015, 12:48 [IST]

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New Delhi, April 18: The word 'Godse' is no longer unparliamentary except in reference to 'Nathuram Godse', Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has ruled. Parliament had banned the use of the word in 1956. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse on January 30, 1948 in New Delhi.

The order lifting the ban was passed yesterday and has brought much relief to Shiv Sena MP from Nashik Hemant Tukaram Godse who had pitched for removal of the word "Godse" from the list of "unparliamentary words".

In letters to the Presiding officers of both the Houses, he had wondered as to how can a Member of Parliament's surname be considered "unparliamentary". "It is definitely not my fault that my surname is 'Godse' and furthermore, I also cannot and will not change it as it is my ancestral surname," he had told them pitching for deletion of the word from the unparliamentary category.

Contending that the ban casts "undue aspersion on my surname and that of my ancestors too", he said that there are a large number of people of the Godse community who reside in different parts of Maharashtra and he also belonged to the community.

The Shiv Sena member had found himself in a piquant situation with the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman during the winter session stopping one member from using the word "Godse" as it is unparliamentary. Parliament had decided in 1956 to ban the use of the word 'Godse", the member had found out. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse in Jan 30, 1948 in New Delhi.

Now the Lok Sabha Speaker has passed the following order: "The name "Godse" as a surname per se cannot be said to be unparliamentary. Only in reference to "Nathuram Godse" would be so. Accordingly, the list will be modified." "If it is used in improper reference or in improper context then it can be wrongly represented."